Automobile door



INVENTOR A. L. LAMBERT AUTOMOBILE DOOR Filed Dec. 18, 1926 3 She'etS-hee't 1` May 29, 1928.

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May 29, 192s.

A. L. LAMBERT AUTOMOBILE DOOR Filed nec. 18. 1926 s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR dr/.JM

ATTORNEY lll May 29, '1928; 1,671,595.

. A. L. LAMBERT 7 AUTOMOBILE DOOR Filed Dec. 18, 1926 5 Sheets-sheet. 3

llllnrllnll/ INVENTOR l ATTORNEY Patented May 29, 1928.

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ALBERT L. LAMBERT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOE T0 HEINTZ MANUFACTURING:v COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

' AUTOMOBILE Doon.

Application led. fecembe'r 18, 1926. Serial No. 155,570.

This im-en'tion-relates to automobile doors,

and more particularly relates to doors having windows which may be opened and v closed. One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a construction which incorporates a resilient runway for the window glass, whereby rattling is prevented, and at the same time the window glass is supported firmly and may be easily raised and loweredl without jamming.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved manner of attaching the outer door panel tothe door frame, the parts being so constructed that the panel may be preformed with all necessary ends vand flanges and may be secured to the door frame by spot-welding which does not appear on any outside surface of .the door, thus simplifying the assembling operation and avoiding visibleblemishes or 'marks which would detract from the attractive appearance of the structure.

v A further object of this invention is to provide a door construction having the features referred to and which is light in weight and at the same time is sturdy and durable and not likely to become distorted by continued use; and a further object of this invention lis to provide a door of the character referred to which may be quickly and easily constructed at low cost.

Other objects of this invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In accordance with this invention, the door may be constructed of interfitting. sheet metal members having overlapping flanges at the edge surfaces ofthe door. Preferably an opening is left at the sides and top of the door interior between the interfitting mem-` bers, so that these members may be spotwelded together at the edge surfaces of the doorV by means of a tool inserted between them, thus permitting the spot-welding without welding marks 'or scars being formed on theoutside surfaces of the door, and preserving an attractive appearance. The window runway is provided `by resilient metal strips having ribs or ridges engaging in grooved members securedalong lboth sides and across the top of the window glass, establishing a resilient engagement with the window. frame which insures the easy rais- In order-that a clearer understanding of I this invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings vforming a part of this-application and illustrating certain possible embodiments of this invention. Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of a door embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of an upper corner portion of the door, showing in dotted lines the location of certain of the hidden parts, the view being broken away at the center; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, broken away at the center, and is taken approximately on` the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the bottom portion of the door,`and is taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1; Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged horizontal vsectional views' and are taken respectively on thelines 5 5 and 6-6 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a horizontal. sectional View of a door embodying this invention, butshowing a modified construction of the doorillars. Similar reference characters re er to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. j

Referring to the drawings, in the first construction the door includes two side pillars 1 and 2, each of channel shape and each having their outer walls 3 and 4 longerf'than their inner walls 5 and 6. The bottom walls of these bhannel pillars are designated respectively 7 and 8. The tops of these pillarsv are 'connected by a similar channel member having outer wall 9, inner wall'll and bottom wall 410. Preferably the upper corner of this member is reenforced internally byan angle iron12. The lower portions ofthe side illa-rs 1 and 2 are connected by a strip 13 which has a ange 14 at each end abutting and attached to the inner walls of the side pillars. Preferably strip' 13 is reenforced along its .top edge by being formed here with an angular portion- 15 which includes vertical flange 16. Along the bottom of strip 13 is a horizontal ange 17. A lchannelmember 18 fits against and is attached to the flange 16 and to the flange 17 Thus a very rigid yet light door frame is obtained.

Along each wall 5 and 6 of the side pillars 1 and 2 is attached, as by means of screws.

,. location in thewindow well.

19, a metal strip which extends from the top cross member to'h a suitablel window stop 20 secured to thel side pillar at a. suitable The body portion 21 of eachv strip lies against the pillar wall 5 or 6 but extends beyond the end fthereof, and thisI extending portion of each ance of the construction morel attractive.

27' into which the ridges 22'1of Along each sideo'f the window glass 25 and across its top edge is secured a channelshaped edge strip 26, .the sides ofwhich overla the lassen opposite sides, and the base o whic is shaped to provide a groove strips are adapted to" fit. f The retaining strips, being resilient, exert inwardpressure. on the edge strips 26 and hold the window against rattling. Preferably a Strip 28 of resilient material is seatedin the edge'members 26 intermediate the edge o^the glass and the groove'd bottom-'of these members.;

A suitable carrier construction`29 may be attached to the bottom edge of the window. 25 whereby7 the window glassv may be raised and lowered-fby suitable regulator mecha- .i nism (not shown) mounted in' the .door in the conventional manner,

The front panel 30 for the* door may be preformed withmarginal overlap portions 31 along its sides, ending in anges 32. The top of 1the panel may have a horizontal flange 33,

#and the bottom of the anel may have a 'hori- I zontal {hinge/34. Pre erably these anges 32,

33 and 34 are set in suchposition when the panel is formed that the panel can Vbe applied to the frame in a manner quitesim1lar to the placing of a tin cover on a tin box. The'fit 'is suchlthat the flanges 32wil1 t against the wa1ls'3 and 4 of the side frames the flange 33 will fit against thewall 9 o the top crosspiece and the ange'34 willA tit against 'thebottom' of the bottom cross member 18, when the panel is appliedtoj the frame, without requiring any shaping orforming of either frame or panel at the time ofassembling.v Theoverlapping portions of these interitting parts are irmly -secured to ether, as by spo referably an inner panel 38 is mounted f on the door. This panel may extend over bottom-of the door may lie over and and be secured to the inner walls 7 and 8 of the side framemembers. 1 and 2, andat the be seg cured to the cross piece 18. This panel preferablydoes not extend higher than the bottom of the window opening'. Along its `top edge it at 35, and, if desired, a`member 36- may be securedto the' up er edge `lof panel 38 to provide a pull-to Eandle for the door.

Asy

may be of channel formation, as

shown, this pull-to member comprisesrsheet metal formed with an upwardly extending ridge or rib 37. This constitutes the handle. Preferably the. door is reenforced at the corners and at the location of `the, hinges by metal strips which are-secured within thechannels of the frame members. Preferably at each corner of the door the strip is angular, having a. horizontal. arm 4()v resting against and secured to the wall 1Q and hav- `ing a vertical arm 41 extending Within the l channel of 'pillar 2. .The arm 41 is preferably corrugatedor tortuous in shape so as to abutagainst the wall 4 at some placesY and to .abut against the wall v6 at interme- 'd1ate places. At eachhi'nge there is a 4reenforclng strip of tortuous formation, having its ends. 43 abutting the wall 4, a cen-i the retaining/tral portion 44.abutt1ng the'wall 6 andintermediate portions -4'5 abutting the hinge arm 46 whichv is disposed'against the inside of wall 2. u i

`J1n` assembling the door, the preformed 'I sheet metal frame members and the 4front panel 30 are fitted together' and-their overlapping portions are spot-welded together at the ed e surfaces of the door, the welding `tool pre erably being 'inserted from inside the frame through e vopening left between ,the front panel and4 nner'walls of the frame members, the welding taking lace on the inside, andthus avoiding the ormation of" welding marksv and scars on the exposed edge surfaces of the door. After these parts have v 'been welded together, the. resilient .window runway strips and the window glass may be applied. To mount the. window, the runway strips. are-secured along one side and atthe tjop of the door. The glass frame 2 6 and vcarrier 29 vwithv thel glass Ain place is -then engaged with the vertical runwayQstrip which has been attached to the door. Then the opposite'runwa strip is engaged with the opposite side o the glass frame and is lscrewed in place. Thereafter the panel `38 is applied to the door. v 5 Y Instead of makng the side pillars separate from the outside paneling, bothy pillars and the outside 'panelin'g mayl be made from a singlel ieee of sheet metal pressed into Shape. T is modiiication of the construction is shown vin Fig. 7.- A singlepiece of sheet metal-comprises the panel 50 extending across the door below the window opening and the side panelingl yand 52v sheet is doubled upo n itself to form, the overhanging marginal flanges 54 and -then 'isf bent into channel form, as at l55 and 56, and

ends in flanges 57 and 58 which lie against and are securely attached'to the flanges 53at the Window opening; These flanges arepreferably spot-welded together before the WindoW 'glass has been applied, the welding tool being appliedfon the inside so that no Welding marks will show ontheoutside of the door. Thus it is apparent that both side pillars and the outside paneling may be constructed of a singlel piece of sheet metal formed to shape. In this modification the resilient window glass retaining strips are secured-to the inner walls 'of the channel frame portions ina manner similar to their attachment to the inner walls of the separate channelpillar members l and 2. The rear panel 38 may be applied to the bottoms of the channel portions 55 and 56 by means of screws 59 or by other suitable means.

Preferably in the modified construction 'the reenforcing members 12 and Lll are applied at the corners and at the location of the hinges similar to their inclusion in the consti'uction first described.

From the above, it will be readily. apparent that the door is exceedingly light and inexpensive in construction and at the same time is very sturdy, and continued use is not apt to cause the door tol-lose its shape or fit. It is further evident that by providing resilient retainers for the side and top edges of the Window glass, rattling of the Windows is prevented and at the s'ame time the Window can be raised and lowered readily and easily. Another advantage of these resilient retainers is the ease and convenience with which window glass can be positioned in the Window.

As many changes could be made inthe above construction and-as many apparently Widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying'drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. vIn a door of the character described, in combination, a side pillar, a strip secured to said pillar aiidhaving a resilient Window retaining portion offset from and overhanging thev edge of said pillar, window glass, and a gi'ooved member fixed to the edge 0f the window glass, said offset retaining portion having a longitudinal ridge formation at its outer edge engaging in the groove of said grooved member.

l 2. A metal Window strip comprising a.

base portion, an upstanding liange portion along one edge of said base portion, and a resilient finger portionl along the other edge of said base portion sprungat an obtuse.

ridge portion disposed beyond the edge of said inner pillar wall. i V

4. In a door of thecliaracter described, in combination, a channel-sliaped door ypillar of which the inner Wall is shorter than the outer Wall, a panel having a flange, said panel fiange and the outer pillar Wall overlapping at the edge of the door, and a 'Window retaining member secured to the inner pillar Wall only,l said retaining membei 'ha-ving a resilient portion. disposed beyond the edge of said inner pillar Wall, the outer extremity of said rlesilient portion being formedinto a Window engaging ridge, and said retaining member having a screening flange along its other edge.

5. In a door of the character described, the combination ivith a door frame including channel-shaped sidepillars, and a top cross"membei, of a panel preformed with l y sidel lianges located to seat closely against the inside of the outerylegs of said channel pillars andA with a top flange located to closely overlap the top of the top cross member when the panel is applied to frame.

'6. In a door of the combination with a door frame includsaid the character described.

ing channel-shaped side pillars and top and bottom cross members, of a panel preformed with side flanges located to seat closely y against the inside of the outer legs of said channel pillars and with top and bottom flanges located to closely overlap the top and bottom cross members when the panel. is applied to said frame.

7. In a door ofthe character described, I

the combination with a door frame including channel-shaped side pillars, a top 'cross niember, of a panel preformed With side flanges located to seat .closely against the inside of the outer legs of said channel pillars and With a top flange located to closely overlap the top of the top cross member when, the panel is applied to said frame, and resilient Window runway'strips secured to said side pillars and to said top cross member.

8. In a door of the character described, the combination with a door frame including channel-shaped side pillars, a top cross member, of a panel preformed With..vside flanges located to seat closely against the inside of the outer legs of said channel pillars and with a top flange located to closely overlap thetop of the top cross member when the panel is applied'to said frame, and resilient'window runway strips secured to said V- side pillars andto said top cross `member, each of said strips having an offset resilient Window engaging ridge Yformation.

9. In a door of the character described, the combination with a door frame includingchannel-shaped side pillars, a top cross member, of a panel preformed with side flanges located to seat closely against the when the panel is applied to said frame, and,

inside of the outer legs of saidchannel pillar/s and with atop flange located to closely overlap the top .of the top cross member resilient window runway .strips secured to said side pillars and to said top cross mem- 20 ber, said strips'having along4 one edge an offset-resilient window engaging ridge fermation and having 4a screening flange along the other edge. v

10. In a door of the character described,

in combination, a channel shaped door pillar of. which thel inner wall is shorter than the outer wall, a panel having a doubledV over portion overlapping the outer pillar wall, and a flange portion substantially at right angles to the doubled over portion and secured to the inner face of said outer pillar wall, said panel being spaced from the inj 11er pillar wall a. distance sufficient to permit the insertion of a weldingl tool between the pillar and panel into operative contact withsaid' inturned flange. i

This specification 'signed this 30th day of November, 1926. .Y

ALBERT L. LAMBERT. 

